ESTATE agents are willing England to get knocked out of the World Cup - so goggle-eyed soccer fans will get off their sofas and start buying and selling houses again.

A leading agency which has studied the activity of the market during the last five tournaments, says the market will go through a dull period, with many people putting off major decisions such as house-buying until they can give them their full attention.

In the meantime, Rooney, Crouch and Beckham are proving more of a draw than moving.

Russell Jervis, managing director of Haart estate agents, said, "It is well documented that the World Cup will impact on the economy as football fever grips the nation. Our research clearly shows that the housing market is no different, as the fixtures of the World Cup monopolise people's time, and the important decisions that need to be thought through are put aside until it's all over.

"However, as our research reveals the housing market is set to be very buoyant in the aftermath of the competition, as homeowners and buyers quickly resume their lives."

He said he expected the market to see a 10% increase in activity as soon as the tournament was over.

Haart estate agents said a dip in the number of housing transactions had been recorded during previous World Cups back to the Mexico tournament in 1986.

The company's figures showed housing transactions were 1,600 fewer in the June of World Cup years than others - a decrease of 1.3%.

After the competition is over, however, there is an average increase of 4.1% in the August of those years than when no World Cup took place.

This pattern was also affected by England's performances.

In 2002, when the country reached the quarter-finals, transactions were down 5.1% in June but went up by 11.1% in August. However in 1994, when England failed to qualify, levels fell by just 0.9% in June and rose by only 2.8% in August.

However, in Wales yesterday experts said the market had shown no signs of slowing, and that any slow periods created by the tournament in Germany had not affected buyers and sellers in Wales.

Mortgage advisor Barrie Kent, from Carmarthen, said"I'm not sure the World Cup is really going to be having any particularly effect here in Wales.

"I suspect you'll find a similar situation in Scotland.

"If people want to move house, they want to move house. They're going to want to get it all done as quickly as possible, and whether there's a World Cup on is not going to make any difference."

James Fussell, from Be Independent financial advisors in Cwmbran, also refuted the idea there had been a slow-down.

He said, "It's just not something that's happened in Wales. The World Cup hasn't affected things at all.

"It may be slightly quieter in terms of footfall when a big match is on, the same as in any shop, but it's not affecting people's tendencies on whether to get a mortgage or not.

"Generally people get a bit more of an itch to move in the summer.

"Sunshine and longer days also mean it can be easier to move house from a practical point of view as well.

"It's the same this year, and I don't think the World Cup has changed it at all."

Page 2 - South still rising fast

South still rising fast Wales saw house prices drop by an average of 0.4% in the last month, according to according to property website Rightmove.

Overall, house prices rose by 0.8% during the past month as the mini-boom continued in southern regions.

The overall jump during the five weeks to June 10 added around #1,613 to the cost of the average home in England and Wales pushing prices up to #211,442.

But the cost of a home in southern regions 9.4% higher than a year ago, while in northern regions house prices have risen by just 2.7% during the past 12 months.